The first swirls of what would become Lucky Soul took place in Glasgow in the imagination of a sound engineering student called Andrew Laidlaw. Inspired by the classic Sixties soul playing at a tiny night club called Papa Cool, he began sneaking into the studios at night, plotting to take a seemingly lost kind of pop music and update it for the 21st century. When the course finished, he moved to London, recruited a few friends and put out a classified ad for a singer. A heartfelt request for “no divas, no faux-American accents” seemed to have little effect, but alongside 300 Aguilera-clones emerged a honey-haired woman by the name of Ali Howard with a voice perfectly poised between power and vulnerability and a look that seemed tailor-made for Laidlaw’s music.
The first Lucky Soul album followed in April 2007. Released on the band’s own label Ruffa Lane (set up with the financial help and know-how of a couple of close friends) The Great Unwanted was a massive critical and commercial success: greeted with 4 and 5 stars – “an immediate classic”, “pop at its most glorious and heartbreaking” – across the board and sold 50,000 records worldwide, picking up a top 10 hit in Japan along the way.
Laidlaw’s pop vision had been vindicated, but the band had also thrown everything at that first record. Once the touring was done and with no financial safety net to fall back on while the royalties came through, Lucky Soul returned to their normal lives. Not for the first time, Laidlaw found himself stone broke and south of the river. This time he had no choice but to live inside the band’s studio, then in a draught-ridden converted fire station on the gloomier side of Greenwich. He played piano til the early hours and showered in the local swimming pool, and put his heart and soul into creating a second album, going by his own admission a bit crazy along the way.
Turning down an offer from legendary Bowie producer Tony Visconti, the band opted to retain complete creative control. Laidlaw produced the record himself, only turning to outside help for the mixing sessions, handled in New York by Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave, Sons & Daughters, Kirsty Macoll, PJ Harvey). Howard, Laidlaw and mercurial guitarist Ivor Sims were all that remained from the original lineup. Russell ‘Rusty’ Grooms and kiwi maverick Paul Atkins took the bass and drum briefs, and a new keyboardist was found in the form of Art Terry, a former protégé of Arthur Lee from Love who had initially just turned up to tune Laidlaw’s piano…
Months were spent in the studio, as Laidlaw – a synaesthetic to whom music appears in the form of vivid visuals that look “like an avant-garde Russian cartoon” – heaved his vision into awesome life. The result is a record with the gloves off, as trumpeted in the form of two advance singles Woah Billy! and White Russian Doll. The first album’s shameless love for pure melody remains, but any hint of knowing pastiche has been replaced with big, confident, lean production; it’s a soaring album of modern pop – music for a new decade.
The Last Song
Lucky Soul Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That seeps from the dagger shaped hole in your heart
Wounds that run deep
Well I’ll try to patch them as best as I can
If the sun melts the black of the street
And the long road home sticks to your feet
When the music that frees you has all but been used up
I hate to see your heart breaking
I’ll hold it safe in my hands
I don’t know if my words can bind it together
But that’s all I know how to do
So I’ll sing the last song for you
I ain’t got much
That I can give you, to keep you afloat
Mumbled comforts
Are no use for wrestling demons, I know
But a lopsided smile and a lovesick recital
Might loosen the burden for now
The penultimate beat of the drum
As the second to last chord is strummed
When all other words have already been heard
I’ll sing the last song for you
I’ll sing the last song for you
I’ll sing the last song for you
I’ll sing the last song for you
The lyrics to Lucky Soul's song "The Last Song" convey a sense of empathy and comfort to someone who is going through a difficult time. The opening lines describe the deep wounds that the person is feeling, possibly from a past hurt or trauma that they are struggling to overcome. The singer acknowledges their pain and tries to be there for them by offering to patch them up as best they can. The imagery of a tear seeping from a dagger-shaped hole in their heart emphasizes the depth of their pain and how difficult it is to heal.
As the song progresses, the singer offers their support by promising to sing the last song for the person. This last song symbolizes the end of a journey, the completion of something significant or perhaps even the end of life. The singer acknowledges that they don't have much to offer in terms of material things or solutions to the other's problems, but they do have their words and their music. The chorus repeats the phrase "I'll sing the last song for you," emphasizing the singer's commitment to being there for their loved one until the end.
Overall, "The Last Song" is a heartfelt and poignant track that touches on themes of pain, loss, and empathy. It speaks to the power of music and companionship in helping people through difficult times, even when words and actions seem inadequate.
Line by Line Meaning
Born on a tear
You were brought into this world with pain and sadness
That seeps from the dagger shaped hole in your heart
Your pain and sadness come from a deep emotional wound that feels like a physical hole in your chest
Wounds that run deep
Your emotional wounds are not superficial, but rather have affected you deeply
Well I’ll try to patch them as best as I can
I'll do my best to help you heal from your emotional pain, although I know it won't be easy
If the sun melts the black of the street
Even if times are good and everything seems bright and sunny
And the long road home sticks to your feet
Even if you feel weighed down and lost on your journey home
When the music that frees you has all but been used up
When the things that used to bring you joy and comfort no longer have the same effect
Then I’ll sing the last song for you
I'll be there for you until the very end, even when everything else has failed
I hate to see your heart breaking
It hurts to see you in pain and struggling emotionally
I’ll hold it safe in my hands
I promise to protect your heart and your feelings as much as I can
I don’t know if my words can bind it together
I'm not sure if what I do or say will be enough to make everything better
But that’s all I know how to do
Even if I don't have all the answers, I'll still do my best to be there for you
So I’ll sing the last song for you
I'll still be there for you until the very end, even if it's just through one last song
I ain’t got much
I don't have a lot to offer or give to you
That I can give you, to keep you afloat
I wish I could do more to help you, but I'll do what I can to keep you from drowning
Mumbled comforts
Sometimes the things we say to comfort or console others come out awkward or unclear
Are no use for wrestling demons, I know
It's not easy to fight the inner demons and struggles that some people face, and even our best intentions may not be enough
But a lopsided smile and a lovesick recital
Sometimes the little things, like a small grin or a heartfelt performance, can make all the difference in someone's day
Might loosen the burden for now
Even if it's just for a moment, sometimes a small gesture of kindness or understanding can ease someone's pain
The penultimate beat of the drum
As the song is about to reach its end
As the second to last chord is strummed
As the music starts to wind down towards its conclusion
When all other words have already been heard
When everything else seems to have been said and done
I’ll sing the last song for you
I'll be there for you until the very end, even when there's nothing else that can be done
I’ll sing the last song for you
I'll still be there for you until the end, no matter what
I’ll sing the last song for you
Through thick and thin, I'll always have your back and be there for you
I’ll sing the last song for you
Even if it's just through one final song, I'll always be by your side
Contributed by Taylor B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.